Scripture Study Insights - week eight

Jacob 1
Magnify calling to persuade people to come unto Christ.

Jacob 2
We must be on guard constantly. Even those who are obedient can succumb to temptation, and it starts in our heart and thoughts. President Harold B. Lee said, “Testimony isn’t something you have today, and you are going to have always. A testimony is fragile. It is as hard to hold as a moonbeam. It is something you have to recapture every day of your life.” (Church News, 15 July 1972, p. 4.) The word of God can heal the wounded soul. Obtaining riches leads to pride leads to persecuting others. Seek the kingdom of God first and you can break that cycle. Be a good example to your children.

Jacob 3
Feast upon God’s love. Repent and worry about your own sins, not others. They (the Lamanites)sin because their parents didn’t teach them, but you (the Nephites) don’t have that excuse. Be a good example to your own children. (notice the repetition from chapter 2!) President Monson taught: ”Parents, live your lives in such a way that your children will find you an example worthy of emulation” (April 2005 general conference – and he gave a
whole talk filled with good advice).

Jacob 4
Search the prophets. Listen to general conference. Build our lives upon the foundation stone Christ. Cross reference to Matthew 16:15-19 – revelation is our rock.


Jacob 5
Chapter 5 answers the question asked in chapter 4: "How can those who reject Christ make him their foundation later? It's through the scattering and gathering of Israel, missionary work and repentance. Olive Tree Chart

Jacob 6
Repent, have pure hearts, Elder Ballard's "O be Wise" talk (see Mosiah 12:27)

Jacob 7
Jacob “could not be shaken” when his testimony was challenged. Am I that strong? The scriptures testify of Christ. Peace and the love of God come into our lives as we search the scriptures.

Enos
What a great example Enos is! A lot of people compare him to Alma and Saul and talk about his wickedness, but that opinion bothers me (and your dad). We think Enos shows how even those who are trying to keep the commandments need to hunger for repentance. We ALL need to be forgiven of our sins, and that takes “wrestling.” Before his wilderness experience, Enos had listened to his father “often,” he knew that God could not lie, he knew that whatever he asked in faith would be given him, he knew that the Lamanites had to repent on their own – his prayer for them was that the records would be preserved. First, we take care of our own repentance, then we expand our prayers to include our family’s welfare, and then we plead for everyone else. (See Elder Hale's talk.)

Jarom
Those who have faith have “communion with the Holy Spirit.” Jarom wrote the same thing as his father Enos, that they were “continually stirring [the people] up unto repentance.” We should be grateful our prophets and leaders keep repeating the same counsel.

Omni
Keeping records is important, even if it’s just a little information. “Come unto Christ.”

Words of Mormon
God knows all things, and he directs his prophets. (See D&C 3.)

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